Nodulation Potential of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea L.) in Yaounde (Centre Region of Cameroon)

Ndiang Zenabou^1, , Semboung Lang Firmin¹, Ngo Nkot Laurette¹, Wafo Fosso Daniel¹, Tchinda Ninla Laurianne¹ and Bell Joseph Martin²

¹Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Po. Box. 24157, Cameroon

²Department of Biology and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Po. Box. 812, Cameroon

Cite this paper:
Ndiang Zenabou, Semboung Lang Firmin, Ngo Nkot Laurette, Wafo Fosso Daniel, Tchinda Ninla Laurianne and Bell Joseph Martin. Nodulation Potential of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea L.) in Yaounde (Centre Region of Cameroon). American Journal of Food and Nutrition. 2022; 10(1):34-39. doi: 10.12691/ajfn-10-1-5

Abstract

Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc., which is the third most important food legume in terms of production and consumption after peanuts (Arachis hypogeae L.) and cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata Walp.) with a very high nutritional value, remains a neglected and underutilized specie. Some morphotypes of Bambara groundnut were surveyed in order to constrain their nodulation potential six weeks after sowing. Nodules of fifteen plants per morphotype per replication were determined under pot experiment in non-sterile soil in Yaounde. The effectiveness of N-fixation was determined by measuring the above-ground plant size (PH) and biomass (SDW). All plants nodulated. Nodule number (NN = 11 - 108), nodule dry weight (NDW = 0.04-0.26 g), shoot height (SH = 20.48 - 30.96 cm), root length (RL = 34.6 - 52.1 cm), shoot dry weight (SDW = 2.45 - 7.08 g) and root dry weight (RDW = 0.34 - 1.28 g) vary from one morphotype to another. NN correlated positively and highly to the RDW (r = 0.75; p < 0.001) and NDW (r = 0.89; p < 0.001) revealing the root biomass as an indicator of good nodulation. SDW correlated positively and highly to the RDW (r = 0.70; p < 0.001) too, showing that the root biomass resulted from a good shoot system as NOR2Y morphotype. SDW shows positive and imperfect correlation with NDW (0.41) and NN (0.32) indicating that shoot biomass was not always the result of good nodulation. The nodulation potential of studied Bambara groundnut evidences their infectivity by indigenous rhizobacteria. It seems to be a good criterion for predicting high productive species and a selection marker for breeding programs.

Keywords:
morphotypes nodules plant biomasses Vigna subterranea

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